Who We Are

Board

	John Lees President and Director	Dr. Lees received his medical degree from the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth in 1982. After he completed his training in Family Practice, he spent the next 25 years in solo practice in Glendale Arizona. In 2008, he joined Deer Valley Medical which subsequently became Honor Health and was there 10 years. He retired from Honor Health in March 2019. Currently he is a retired/volunteer physician and works in free clinics in Phoenix and medical missions abroad. Dr. Lees is Board Certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Family Practice. He has been a director at the Del E. Webb Foundation since April 2010 and was appointed Vice President in January 2011. He was appointed President in January 2018.
	Shielia Johnson Treasurer and Director	Shielia has been performing various jobs for the Foundation for over 20 years, progressing from part time bookkeeper to Assistant Treasurer to Treasurer and C.F.O. When Del Werderman retired recently after decades of service, it was his wish and the unanimous vote of the board that Shielia be chosen to replace him. She worked for several public accounting firms and provided accounting services for other private companies, both for-profit and not for profit organizations. She ran her own practice, Lynx Creek Accounting, and served as bookkeeper for her local church for several years. She brings to the Foundation the viewpoint of someone very familiar with non-profit accounting. She was instrumental in transitioning the foundation functions to an automated system. Shielia works full time in the Foundation office acting as accountant, Treasurer, C.F.O., Grant Secretary and Office Manager. She has been a director since April of 2010.
	Larry Johnson VP and Director	Larry began working for the Del Webb Corporation in Phoenix in 1970 as a graveyard shift computer operator. One year later he was transferred to Sun City, Arizona where he worked for nine years and eventually became Vice President in charge of Data Processing. He left the Del E. Webb Development Company to start his own software publishing company which he ran for ten years. He has also worked for the Salt River Project, and for the State of Arizona at both the Department of Administration and the Department of Corrections. Mr. Johnson currently devotes all his energy to the foundation. He has been a director since January of 1996, and had been President since July of 2006. In January of 2018 he transitioned from President to Vice President. He continues as Chief Information Officer and Director.
	Nicole Aubin Director	Nicole was born in Phoenix. Her parents moved to Prescott when she was two. She works as a nurse at the local hospital but always finds time for volunteer work in the community and at her church. She makes time for her duties as a director. As the recipient of numerous awards, she is well known as a competent, caring person who is always willing to serve. Nicole lives in Prescott and was appointed a director in 2008. On January 1, 2021, Nicole took over the duties of Grant Administrator.
	Jean Canoose Director	Jean has worked as a freelance computer instructor in Prescott and California designing classes to meet specific needs. She has been a Development Manager for IBM at the Santa Teresa Programming Laboratory, and has worked for Management Services Inc. supervising government contracts and writing grant proposals for government contracts. She has served as Secretary on the Board of Directors for the Yavapai Symphony Association where she wrote grant proposals to receive funding from the Arizona Commission for the Arts, and as Treasurer on the Board of Directors for the Friends of the Prescott Public Library. Jean is a Past President of the Arizona Society of Enrolled Agents and currently serves as Financial Secretary for the Prescott United Methodist Church. She has been a director since April of 2010.
	Richard Miller Director	Richard grew up near Portland, Oregon and after graduating from Eastern Mennonite University in 1976 with a BS degree in Biology, worked for 10 years in the Dialysis Department of Legacy Samaritan Hospital in Portland. Richard then worked in the pharmaceutical industry for 31 years. In 1987 he joined Ortho Biotech (now Janssen Biotech) which required him to move from Oregon to Phoenix. At Ortho Biotech Richard initially worked as an Immunobiology Product Specialist and finally as the National Sales Manager, Immunobiology. After 10 years working at Ortho Biotech, Richard then spent 21 years working for Astellas Pharma in various executive positions including sales, marketing, product development, clinical research, corporate development, and strategic relations. Richard left Astellas in 2014 as the Vice President, Immunology/Transplant Strategic Relations and then joined CTI Clinical Trial & Consulting as the Senior Director, Business Development supporting clinical research projects for biopharmaceutical companies located in the western United States. Richard retired in February 2019 and is currently a volunteer at Banner Thunderbird Medical Center in Glendale, AZ. He has also volunteered as a member of the Arizona Republic's Season for Sharing grant committee and as the Cactus Conference Representative for the Grand Canyon Synod of the Lutheran Church. Richard enjoys traveling with his wife to visit their children in Austin, TX and Highlands, NJ.